Eagles take OT Johnson with No. 4 pick

PHILADELPHIA – The way Eagles head coach Chip Kelly wants to play, grabbing offensive tackle Lane Johnson with the fourth overall pick in the NFL draft Thursday was a no-brainer.

The 6-6, 303-pound Johnson is Kelly’s definition of athletic, from the 4.69 he clocked in the 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine to the 9-foot, 10-inch standing long jump, 34-inch vertical jump and stunning bench press. Johnson pumped 225 pounds 28 times … incredible for a guy with a 35 ¼ inch sleeve.

The Eagles want to play fast. Johnson is just that and more.

“We felt he was the most athletic tackle we’ve seen,” Kelly said. “He’s got a huge upside. Hasn’t played a ton of offensive tackle but he has played the right side and he has played the left side. I know (Sooners coach) Bob Stoops extremely well and I talked to Bob extensively about him last week and he just remarked about what a tough player he is, what a selfless player he is. He’s moved positions. He just wants to play. And I think he’s going to be a great addition to our team. The game is won upfront. He’s another tough, physical guy and I think that’s what we were looking for as we went into this draft.”

Johnson feared he wouldn’t be a first-round pick just a month ago. But he picked up steam during a series of private workouts, including one that knocked the socks off Kelly. Johnson can play left and right tackle. He also has played tight end, defensive end and, in high school, quarterback.

“I feel like kind of an aggressive player on the field but off the field I’m a down to earth guy,” Johnson said on a conference call. “I’m not arrogant at all. I think Philly is a good blue collar town that works their tail off. They’re very, very passionate about their sports … especially football.”

Johnson provided a glimpse of his fire when asked if he felt he was ready to start for the Eagles.

“I think I am, yep, yes sir,” Johnson said.

Kelly said the competition for the starting tackle jobs would work its way out. It’s conceivable the Eagles could play Jason Peters at left tackle, Johnson at right tackle and move right tackle Todd Herremans to guard. Eagles veteran guard Evan Mathis playfully tweeted he wouldn’t give up his No. 69 to Johnson, who wore it with the Sooners.

Several teams inquired about moving up Thursday to select Johnson. So many that Johnson thought the Miami Dolphins, who traded up from the 12th spot to No. 3, wanted him to replace offensive tackle Jake Long. Instead the Fish drafted Dion Jordan, the rush linebacker Kelly coached at Oregon.

“I swear I really thought I was going there for a while,” Johnson said. “After that took place I had a good vibe for Philly. After I got a phone call from a Pennsylvania number I knew it was time. I think they like guys that can move. I know at Oregon they ran a very fast-paced offense that was very similar to Oklahoma. And I think I fit with what they need.”

Athleticism, versatility and intelligence are the qualities Kelly values in his scientific approach to football. Kelly intimated Johnson would have a fast learning curve as the reports he got from Stoops were of a tireless worker.

“He didn’t get recruited out of high school,” Kelly said. “He was real, real small in high school and went to a junior college to get an opportunity. When Oklahoma saw him and saw his athleticism they said, ‘we don’t know what position you’re going to be but if you come you can just play.’ He’s a real selfless guy who just loves playing the game, doesn’t care if he’s an offensive or defensive player … He just wants to play.”

Stoops kidded it took him so long for him to decide offensive tackle was Johnson’s best position because of his weight.

“We had to wait for him to eat enough cheeseburgers,” Stoops said. “When we recruited him and signed him, we did so just on what a big athlete he was, not having an idea where he’d end up growing. And it’s kind of like the whole journey. He was starving himself to stay at 270 to play D-end.

“Sometimes with these big, long guys that are really athletic, you don’t know when they’re going to stop growing.”

The Kansas City Chiefs selected offensive tackle Eric Fisher of Central Michigan with the first pick. Andy Reid and his staff supposedly were divided on whether to take Fisher over Luke Joeckel, the offensive tackle who came off the board at No. 2 to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Eagles didn’t expect the Dolphins to trade up to No. 3, where they selected Jordan. Kelly wouldn’t say where Jordan or any of the others were slotted in the Eagles’ player ratings.

“We had four guys at the top … exactly how the draft went,” Kelly said. “It was the three OT’s and Dion. That’s why we felt comfortable going into this. No matter how it fell we weren’t going to be sitting there at 4 going we didn’t get our guy. But it was just that group of four. So even if anybody traded ahead of us I knew they couldn’t pick two people so we were still going to be OK.”